Operator`s manual

OPERATION
TillingTips& Techniques
Letthetiller dothework
• While tiUing,relax and let the wheels
pull thetiller along whilethe tines do
the digging. Walk on the side that is
' notyet finished (to avoid making foot-
prints in the freshly tilledsoil) and
lightly, but securely grip the handlebar
with just one hand. SeeFigure 3-11.
• Avoidthe temptation to push down on
the handlebars inan attempt to force
the tiller to dig deeper. Pushing down
on the handlebarstakes the weight off
the poweredwheels,causingthem to
lose traction. Without the wheels help-
ing to hold the tiller back, the tines will
attempt to propel the tiller- causing
the _illerto move rapidly backtoward
you. (Sometimes, slight downward
pressure on the handlebarswill help
get through a particularly tough section
of sod or unbroken ground, but in
most casesthis won't benecessaryat
all.)
Tilling depths
• This is a CRT (counter-rotating tine)
tiller. As the wheels pull forward, the
tines rotate backward. This createsan
"uppercut" tine action which digs
deeply,uprooting soil and weeds.
Don't overloadthe engine,but dig as
deeplyas possible on each pass. On
later passes,the wheels may tend to
spinin the soft dirt. Help them along
by lifting slightly onthe handlebar (us-
ing just one hand, palm upward, works
most easily).
• Watering the gardenarea a few days
prior to tilling willmaketiltingeasier,as
will letting the newly worked soil rest
for a day or two before making a final,
deep tilling pass.
• When cultivating (breaking upthe sur-
face soil aroundplantsto help destroy
weeds), adjust the tines to dig only 1-
U2"to 2"deep. Usingshallowtilling
depthshelps preventInjuryto plants
whoseroots oftengrow closeto thesur-
face. If needed,lift up on the handlebars
slightlyto preventthe tinesfrom digging
too deeply. Cultivatingon a regularbasis
not only eliminatesweeds,it also loosens
andaeratesthe soil for bettermoisture
absorptionandfasterplant growth.)
Avoidtillingsoggy, wet soil
Tillingwetsoil oftenresults in large,
hard clumps of soil that can interfere
with planting. If time permits, wait a
day or two after heavyrains to allow
the soil to dry before tilling. Testsoil
by squeezingit into a ball. Ifit com-
presses too easily, it is too wet to till.
Avoidmakingfootprints
• Wheneverpossible, walk on the untilled
side of the unit to avoid makingfoot-
prints in your freshly tiltedor cultivated
soil. Footprintscausesoil compaction
that can hamper root penetrationand
contribute to soil erosion. Theycan
also "plant" unwantedweedseeds back
into the freshly tilled ground.
Choosingcorrectwheel
andtine speed
With experience,you willfind the "just
right" tilling depth andtillingspeedcom-
bination that is best for your garden.
Set the enginethrottle lever at a speedto
give the engineadequate power andyet
allow it to operate at the slowest possi-
blespeed...at leastuntil you have
achievedthe maximum tilling depth you
desire. Faster enginespeeds may be de-
sirable when making final passes
through the seedbedor when cultivating.
Selection of the correct engine speed,in
relation to the tilling depth, will ensurea
sufficient power level to do the job with-
out causing the engineto labor.
Suggestedtilling patterns
• When preparing a seedbed,go over the
samepath twice inthe first row, then
overlap one-half the tillerwidthon the
rest of the passes (see Figure 3-15).
When finished in one direction, makea
second passat a right angleas shown
in Figure3-16. Overlapeach passfor
best results (in very hard ground it
may takethree or four passesto thor-
oughly pulverizethe soil).
. If the gardensize will not permit
lengthwise andthen crosswise tilling,
then overlap the first passes by one-
half atiller width,followed by succes-
sive passesat one-quarter width (see
Figure 3-17).
With planning, you can allow enough
room betweenrows to cultivate (see
Figure3-18). Leave room for the hood
width, plus enough extra room for fu-
ture piant growth.
Clearingthe tines
Thetines have a self-clearingaction
whicheliminates most tangling of debris
inthe tines. However,occasionallydry
grass, stringy stalks or tough vines may
becometangled. Follow these proce-
dures to helpavoid tangling andto clean
the tines, if necessary.
• Toreduce tangling, setthe depth regu-
lator deepenoughto get maximum
"chopping" action as the tines chop the
material againstthe ground. Also, try
to till under crop residues or cover
crops while they are green, moist and
tender.
• While power composting, try swaying
the handlebarsfrom side to side (about
6"to 12"). This "fishtaiting" action of.
ten clearsthe tines of debris.
• If the proceduresabove don't clear the
debris, it may be necessaryto remove
the debris by hand (a pocket knifewill
help you cut awaythe material).
WARNING
Before clearing the tines by
hand, stop the engine, al-
low all moving partsto stop
and disconnect the spark
plug wire,
Failure to follow this warn-
ing could result in personal
injury.
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